Boroland Leaders Ask Sonia Gandhi To Help Solve Boro Problem

The Boro people, after being attacked by Bangladeshi nationals inside India, are being ignored by the governments of Assam and India. Boro leaders have now written to Sonia Gandhi, Chair of the UPA Government and the Indian National Congress, to ask for her help to solve their issues.

Since the attacks, thousands of Boro people, known as “the sons of the soil,” have been waiting in relief camps for the Government of India to take action. No action has been forthcoming and, given lack of government interest in their problems, it seems none will.

boro demand sonia gandhi
National Democratic Front of Boroland (Progressive), NDFB(P) letter to Sonia Gandhi

The National Democratic Front of Boroland (Progressive), NDFB(P), the pro-talk faction of one of the militant groups in Assam, sent the attached letter to Sonia Gandhi, requesting help with two main issues. First, a permanent solution to the “Boro Problem,” and second, action to control the illegal Bangladeshi immigrants who caused the recent clashes.

The leaders made four demands at the end of their letter:

  1. Grant Statehood for Boroland
  2. Ensure National Register of Citizens 1951 before rehabilitating the illegal immigrants
  3. Implement Clause 10 of the Assam Accord 1985
  4. Investigate the communal clash to determine instigators

This time, the leaders of the Boroland Territorial Autonomous District Council are hoping for a timely response.

The ethnic conflict in Assam, between the Boro Tribe and illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, has been exacerbated by the failure of the Government of India, to stop illegal crossing of the International boundary.

See the previous report:

Ethnic Conflict: Boro Tribe v. Illegal Bangladeshi Migration In Assam

The previous report noted 100 innocent people were killed over the six day period from 19th July, 2012 to 25th July, 2012, and hundreds of thousands lost their homes. Officially, the Government estimated the death toll to be 70.

The latest bloodshed, just part of the ongoing conflict, took place in Assam’s Dhubri, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar and Chirang districts.

Shib Shankar Chatterjee is a former BBC, The Times of India, Hindustan Times, The Statesman & The Telegraph Contributor-cum-Correspondent from Northeast India, who specializes in investigations of important issues affecting the people of South Asia, specially, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan & Myanmar.